Atlantic Police Lt. Devin Hogue was presented with the Humane Society of the United States’ Humane Law Enforcement Award, Thursday morning, for “His leadership in combating illegal animal abuse.” The award was presented to him at the Police Department, by Preston Moore, Iowa State Director, State Affairs, for the Humane Society, based in Cedar Rapids. The award was with regard to a horrific case of animal abuse that resulted in the death of a dog, in Nov. 2017. The suspect, Jason Michael Anderton, of Atlantic, who was 29 at the time, was arrested in January, 2018.

Humane Society of IA Director Preston Moore presented Lt. Devin Hogue with an Humane Law Enforcement Award. (photo courtesy Lt. Hogue)

Hogue says he worked with other officers in conducting the investigation. He said “We hit some road bumps along the way,” the result of which left doubt in his mind about whether the investigation would be able to move forward. “Out of the blue, [I] received a phone call from the Humane Society, offering up any assistance that they could.” As a result of continued discussions and working with the Humane Society, Hogue said “In the long run they were approved to pay a bill [for] forensic testing to further our case, to really allow us to pursue some charges. In the end we were able to secure and get some charges out of it.”

Lt. Hogue said during the investigation into the abuse, “We basically went back and connected the dots the best we could, and we hit a couple of spots where we easily could have said ‘I don’t know where to go from here, I think we’re stuck.”  Thankfully, he says the Humane Society reached out and “If we can be a resource…”

Tissue and specimen blood samples of the dog were sent to California, to be tested and compared with samples sent to the ISU Veterinary Clinic in Ames. The Humane Society paid for a necropsy on the dog, which is similar to an autopsy on a human. Overall, Hogue said the Humane Society shelled-out over $2,000.

The case against Anderton, who turned 30 in September, ended a couple of months ago with the guilty plea as part of deal. Hogue said he wanted to thank for Cass County Attorney Michael Hooper for “Taking the reins [in the case],” which Hogue said had been in an “in-between” up until he took over. He said “The first thing I ever had a conversation with him about, was this case, and where I was kind of stuck. [We] Took his guidance as well and we were able to get somewhere with it.” As a result, a charge of Animal Abuse was dismissed by Judge Jeffrey Larson. Anderton plead guilty to one count of Animal Torture 1^st offense. He was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $315, plus serve one-year of probation.

Ever so humble, Lt. Hogue thanked the Humane Society for the unexpected award. He said “This is a job, this is what we’re supposed to do, is take these complaints and investigate them best we can. I had several officers within the department that helped me along the way with collecting evidence and doing every part that they could to help out.” It was a definite team effort he said, and while Hogue got the award for being the lead investigator, he said he “Was certainly not the only person that put in some time and effort to make this happen.”